Chapter Twenty
I sighed internally. There was only one option.
As much as I wanted to hate my pack and condemn them for turning on me in my past life, a part of me would always see myself as their caretaker, as their Luna. By remaining silent, I would be forcing them
into a fate where some would lose their loved ones. I wouldn‘t be able to remain silent living with that knowledge.
“With all due respect, I believe the Gamma‘s plan may backfire tremendously,” I started.
I could see Oliver‘s face frown, looking as if he wanted to have another outburst, but he contained himself.
“The tax could hold us in a very precarious position if others wished to join the Jade Moon pack. Alone, they may be a weak and insignificant pack, but we would be underestimating their ability to rally forces if we were to go about this wrong. We could be looking at an uprising from several of our allied territories. Why else would they start by picking off just an unranked girl? They wanted us to retaliate savagely for the injustice.”
Oliver scoffed and everyone looked at him expectantly.
“Oh please, don‘t look at me like that,” he said, laughing. “I‘d like to remind you all that you‘re listening to a fourteen year old right now.”
“Gamma, you will be quiet and listen respectfully,” Tytus ordered.
We could all hear the Alpha tone in his voice and I did my best not to smirk at the look of submission Oliver gave.
“Please continue, Aria.”
I nodded my head to the Alpha.
“I believe that our best course of action is one of peace as much as possible. By going in and attacking without mercy, we will risk accidentally killing innocents as well as losing some of our own pack members in the process. This brutal force strategy will only turn their pack into a martyr for others to
follow. No, a quiet approach is definitely required here.”
Tytus raised an eyebrow. “What do you propose then?”
“For starters, we cut off their supply routes and box them in, using their mountainous terrain surrounding them to our advantage. The landscape would make for a difficult battle head–on since they know the area well, but sealing off their exits would be very easy.”
“Wouldn‘t this have the same negative reputational effects as meeting them in battle head–on?” Tytus asked.
will cut off their supply temporarily on the condition they hand over the perpetrators of the attack. By showing them mercy, we will demonstrate that we are inherently trying to do right by them at
idea. “And were you counting on their Alpha to
hand someone of value over to take the blame. If it‘s the large brown wolf you have in your custody currently, I‘d wager he is either the Gamma or Beta of their pack. The young Alpha will most likely say they moved of their own volition in an act of independent treason. By giving him an out to end things peacefully, he would have no other choice but to
Chapter Twenty
looking like the villain.”
plan is certainly extremely attractive,” Tytus said, deep in thought. “But what‘s to stop
future dealings. It may also be worth investigating how close the Alpha is to the ranked member we have in custody. We could be looking at a potential chance to utilise a hostage situation regardless of whether he plans to use them
behind someone who would sacrifice their own pack members needlessly when we will be showing them nothing but our benevolence in return. If they try to make any plans to attack us again then at least we have
are indeed extremely intelligent, young Aria,” Tytus praised, thoroughly pleased with my responses. “I cannot fault your logic in
am, Alpha,” my
and bowed my head to Tytus.
serious, “I must admit I‘m a little surprised you gave such a detailed and well thought out strategy given your current circumstances. I‘m
weren’t going to have
of the wellbeing of our pack before my own
act that would be extremely fitting for a…
teeth. He was trying to emphasise placing
girl, as we have all plainly witnessed here today. I
from his gaze but I held my own. I knew what he really wanted to know was what the
that the mark was not just a symbol of favour; it was a sign of higher authority. I now possessed the potential to hold as much control over the pack as the Alpha. I was a living threat to Aleric‘s very future position unless I submitted to him. This was why Tytus was pushing for me to become his son‘s Luna; possibly even if we weren‘t destined mates. He wanted assurance I would not call upon m y new authority and
the extreme degree he had once before. Someone blessed by the Goddess herself could not be convicted of a crime so easily once our mark was confirmed by the Elders, this being due to the fact that we become known as a
to a greater danger. I was now a very big target for assassination if the Alpha felt I was a threat. I would probably be found dead by mysterious causes and the case would eventually go cold. Wherever I went,
Alpha,
lasstyl do
coltare any
SUW8On me which I ignored, continuing to keep my
the feted mate of blog and your union is for told
always have my love and sunt reardless of
they discussed the implications
Alphabegan to laugh loudly. I wasn‘t sure whether to feel cotoneos Worted by his
at a later date. I can
destined to
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